ON THE EDGE OF EXTINCTION - A - THE TIGER (Panthera tigris)

[peter]

(10-01-2018, 10:21 AM)Wolverine Wrote:

(09-26-2018, 08:14 AM)peter Wrote: Most of what's now called the Russian Far East (RFE) belonged to China in the 19th century. In 1858, the Russians made them an offer they couldn't refuse. The territory gained by Russia in the, ehhh, 'Treaty of Aigun' was immense.

Two years later, the Chinese got another offer they couldn't refuse. During the 'Treaty of Peking' in 1860, the Russians gained the most eastern part of China.

Here's a map with the geographical consequences. It also shows the Russo-Chinese boundary according to the 'Treaty of Nerchinsk' (1689):

Curiously enough that annexation was achieved by very young and talented Russian diplomat - count Nikolay Ignatiev, who succeeded to outsmart and outmanouver not only Chinese, but more remarkably - the British - masters of diplomacy and maneuvering. At that time after second Opium war Franco-British troops were on the borders of Beijing and Chinese imperor flee away from the capital. Russians in the face of count Ignatiev offered intermediation. Most interestingly British and French didn't need any intermediation but Chinese government agreed wholeheartly. In result Franco-British troops withdrew from the capital and China, in the lowest point of its power as reward presented Outer Mandjuria to Russia.
William Spikes, a colonel from British colonial army in India said:
"Since 1815 Russia has not achieved so profitable agreement and probably never before such a feat has been accomplished by such a young Russian diplomat. Success of 1860 reached too far.... remarkably enough it was accomplished in the typical British fashion of outsmarting and outmaneuvering..."

*This image is copyright of its original author

Without this treaty now Sihote Alin would be covered not by forests but by rice fields and inhabited not by tigers but tens of millions Chinese peasants who no doubt Mao Dzedung would sent there during the Cultural revolution of 50's and 60's.


Ussuri forest during autumn - land of the great northern tiger, one of the most picturesque places on the planet:

*This image is copyright of its original author

I don't know about rice fields that far north, but I do not doubt the great forests and the Amur tiger would have been long gone if count Ignatiev hadn't used the opportunity. I'm sure the Chinese would agree on that one. For this reason, one of the new reserves Pikunov had in mind (see the posts on his articles published in 2015) should carry his name. Apart from the Ignatiev Reserve, we could do with a Pikunov Reserve.

Nice additional info, Wolverine. Anything else known about the period 1858-1900 not described in Sokolsky's dissertation? Reply